Umbrian Discovery

Travel to Italy and explore the green heart of charming Umbria - mingling with pilgrims, eating delicious foods and seeing ancient sites along the way. Visit the most sacred places in Italy as you travel from Venice to Rome, via the ancient hilltop towns of Gubbio and Assisi. Encounter the religious and historical treasures of one of the most alluring regions in Europe on this delightful Italian adventure.

Why we love this trip

Romantic Venice is like no other city in the world, a watery wonderland literally sinking under the weight of its iconic sights

Explore the masterpiece medieval town of Gubbio – centuries of history around every corner and the requisite cobblestone streets, gothic palaces and churches, all with stunning views straight across the valley

Visit the birthplace of St Francis, Italy's second holiest city, to explore the imposing basilica built in his name

If Italian cuisine is known for its simplicity and big flavours, no place does this better than rural Spello. Let Umbrian delicacies such as lamb meat balls with rosemary and porcini risotto whet your appetite

No Italian adventure would be complete without a visit to Rome. Enjoy plenty of free time to discover the ancient Colosseum, stroll through Vatican City and gaze up towards the gods inside St Peter's Basilica

Is this trip right for you?

The primary means of transportation on this trip is by train. Train travel is a fast way to traverse long distances, allowing you to avoid traffic jams and arrive right into the city centre. Trains are comfortable and all have toilets, however can often be quite busy. Please note that you'll have to carry your own luggage on and off the train, so make sure it doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find this information in the 'What to Take' section of the trip notes.

As there are cobblestones in many Italian cities, it's recommended that you leave any wheelie bags/cases at home and bring a backpack instead. A large backpack should be enough to carry all of your belongings. A backpack also comes in handy as often there are no lifts or escalators in train stations or in the hotel, so you will have to carry your bags up and down the stairs.

Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Many hotel rooms in Europe are not equipped with air-conditioning. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

As accommodation on this trip is twin-share, single travellers will share a room with another traveller of the same sex. This trip is a great opportunity to get to know other like-minded people, so embrace it while you can. If you’d prefer not to share, a single room supplement is available at an additional charge. Please ask your travel consultant for more details, and please note that in some hotels a single supplement exclusion applies where single rooms are not available. Hotel rooms in Europe can seem rather small by American or Australian standards and often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together. Please also note that often hotels offer shared bathrooms rather than en-suite facilities.

Gallery

Itinerary

Welcome to Venice. This watery wonderland of bridges, towers, piazzas, canals, churches and gondolas – practically unchanged for 600 years – is literally sinking under the weight of its iconic sights. There are no activities planned before tonight's group meeting, so if you arrive early there are plenty of things to keep you busy. Take a walk around the maze of streets behind San Marco Square and begin to understand the complex canal system of Venice. The Grand Canal is a great place to start, as you can stroll over the Rialto Bridge and browse the endless amounts of boutique shops that sell Venetian masks and handmade Murano glassware. After the meeting, why not enjoy dinner with your fellow travel companions at a local restaurant.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Meals Included

There are no meals included on this day.

Special Information

Your Italian adventure will begin with a welcome meeting at 6pm tonight – check with reception to confirm the time and place. We'll be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please have these on hand. If you're going to be late, please inform hotel reception. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).

Your leader may be finishing a trip tonight with another group and will be spending the evening after your group meeting having a farewell dinner with them. Your leader will suggest a location for dinner for you and your group tonight, and will be able to participate in other evening meals for the duration of your trip.

After an orientation walk to familiarise you with the city, you are free to venture out and explore Venice. There are only two ways to get around this city – on foot or by boat. Some of the more popular sights include Doge's Palace, the Piazza and Basilica di San Marco, and the Bridge of Sighs. Take the vaporetto (water bus) over to the island of San Giorgio to climb the bell tower for the best view of Venice. No trip here would be complete without a journey down the Grand Canal in a Venetian gondola. It's a common way for visitors to see the major canal routes from an immersive perspective. While away your day in the busy San Marco square and be sure to try the local tiramisu and Italian coffee that's on offer. There’s creativity everywhere, overflowing into the canals; see it in the venetian glass in Dorsoduro or down the streets spreading out from Campo Santo Stefano, lined with unique galleries and small boutiques. Visit the Palazzo Ducale, overflowing with paintings by Italian masters, and contrast it with the modern Guggenheim. Simply enjoy getting lost crossing the hundreds of bridges and uncovering your own slice of Venice. In the evening, perhaps join your fellow travellers for a group dinner at a local restaurant. Venice is famous for its specialities of fresh lobster and squid ink spaghetti dishes, so make sure you give one a try.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

Venice Traghetto Boat Ride

Optional Activities

Guggenheim Museum - EUR15

St Mark's Basilica Treasury - EUR3

Urban Adventures - Chicchetti of Venice - EUR80

Glass Museum Murano - EUR10

Ca' Rezzonico Museum of Eighteenth Century Art - EUR10

Scuola Grande di San Rocco - EUR11

Museum of St Mark's Basilica - EUR5

Urban Adventures - Canal & Aperitivo Experience - EUR113

St Mark's Campanile - EUR8

Gondola Ride - EUR80

Accademia Gallery - EUR15

Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs - EUR19

Venezia Ca' d'Oro - EUR10

Meals Included

Take a train and bus combination south to Assisi, Italy's second-holiest city (approximately 5 hours). Assisi was the home of one of the world's most famous saints and the founder of the Franciscan order – St Francis. Whatever your feelings about religion, it's a place which inspires reverence. Join your group leader on an orientation walk to uncover a plethora of impressive monuments in Assisi, including Piazza Matteotti, the Basilica of St Clare and the Roman temple remains. Take a short guided tour of the magnificent Basilica di San Francesco (St Francis Cathedral). You’ll be led by a member of the Franciscan community, who will explain the life and times of St Francis and the beautiful art inside the church. Construction of the basilica started the day after St Francis's canonisation in 1228, and this imposing building houses the bones of St Francis and four of his followers. In your free time, you could walk four kilometres up a small trail to the top of Monte Subasio, home to the Eremodelle Carceri, a hermitage where Francis came to pray. That activity will work up an appetite for all the pasta you can eat tonight.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

Guided Tour of Basilica di San Francesco Assisi

Optional Activities

Eremodelle Carceri and Mount Subasio - Free

Museo e Foro Romano - EUR4

Museum of San Rufino Cathedral - EUR4

Basilica of St Clare - Free

Meals Included

Today you’ll take the train to the charming nearby medieval town of Spello (approximately 20 minutes), a Roman town that straddles a thin ridge at the base of Mount Subasio – the mountain where St Francis was said to have talked to the animals. It’s a place scattered with weathered Roman monuments and known for its wine and rural charm. Two of the local churches feature frescoes by famed Renaissance painter Pinturicchio, who later lent his hand to works in the Vatican and Siena’s cathedral. Sample exclusive local wine and regional food specialties here when you lunch at a local enoteca. Mushrooms like tartufo and porcini make up the base of many pasta and risotto dishes, while whole stuffed pig with rosemary is a signature dish of the region. Return to Assisi in the late afternoon with some free time to further explore this unique town. Walk the via Guila that circles town, and stop by Piazza Santa Chiara – which has a stunning panorama of the Umbrian countryside – and Piazza del Comune, which gives an insight into life here in Roman times. It’ll be very hard not to spend the whole evening simply continuing the day’s foodie theme and indulge on the region’s fabulous food.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

Enoteca Wine Tasting & Lunch in Spello

Meals Included

Take a bus to the medieval hill-top town of Gubbio (approximately 2,5 hours). The streets of Gubbio, the province’s oldest town, are filled with stone houses and orange-tiled roofs, set against a mountain backdrop. This is a perfect medieval town, where there are centuries of history around every corner and the right amount of requisite cobblestone streets, gothic palaces and churches. The surrounding countryside is also lush and cool, the reason why many Italians retreat here in the summer months. When you arrive, a good way to get to know the town is to simply wander the 14th and 15th century streets. A trip to Gubbio wouldn’t be complete without a lengthy lunch or dinner along one of its narrow streets, so grab an outdoor table at a taverna for truffle-infused dishes.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Optional Activities

Museum of Majolica - EUR5

Civic Museum - EUR5

Ducal Palace - EUR2

Museum Diocesian - EUR7

Meals Included

This morning take a ride with Gubbio's unique cable car – a 15 minute and 1,000 metre high ride to the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo, which contains the mummified body of the town's patron saint. From up here you can marvel at the amazing vistas of the Umbrian valleys and mountains, plus get a great rooftop view of the town itself. The alternative is a 30-40 minute walk uphill on a gravel road to reach the basilica. Then take a peaceful countryside hike from the top of Mt Ingino to admire the Umbrian landscape and stunning view down to Gubbio (approximately 2-3 hours). You'll then have some free time to explore the delights of Gubbio as you wish. You can take in the Civic Museum (home to 3rd-5th century BC bronze Eugubine Tablets), the Duomo, or the Palazzo Ducale, whose original wooden study was deemed so exceptional it was shipped off to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Explore the many churches around town, including one on the spot where legend has it that St Francis tamed a wolf that was terrorising the town. Otherwise, simply just relax into the Umbrian pace of life. Enjoy a variety of local cuisine and try one of the dishes that Umbria is famous for – pecorino cheese, game meat and mushrooms all feature on restaurant menus.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

Gubbio Hike and Cable Car

Optional Activities

Day trip to Perugia - EUR12

Meals Included

There are no meals included on this day.

Special Information

Please note that the cable car may not be suitable to individuals suffering from vertigo or with mobility issues.

Travel by train to Rome (approximately 4 hours), and remember that while here, the best attitude is ‘when in Rome’! Join your leader on an orientation walk around the city, where you see some of the iconic sights such as the Colosseum and Arch of Constantine, the Forum (centre of ancient Rome), the Victor Emmanuel Monument, the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Via Dei Condotti and Piazza Venezia. Recharge with a slice of pizza and a strong espresso at the Piazza Navona or throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain and make a wish to return to the 'Eternal City'. No visit would be complete without a trip to Vatican City and St Peter's Basilica. Entry to the Basilica is free and there's a small charge to climb the dome for a panorama over the city. Art-lovers should visit the Sistine Chapel to admire the timeless work of Michelangelo, while history buffs will enjoy a jaunt through the ancient halls of the Pantheon. Rome is packed full of restaurants and trattorias that cater to every taste and budget. Local specialities tend to be quite heavy, and include pastas such as carbonara (egg, cheese and bacon) and amatriciana (tomato, bacon and chilli). Eating in trattorias will give you a chance to sample some Italian wines, with house choices usually very good and affordable. Head out in the evening with the group for a final farewell gastronomic fling.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Optional Activities

Castel Sant'Angelo - EUR10

Christian Catacombs - EUR8

Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill - EUR16

Keats-Shelley Memorial House - EUR5

Vatican Museum - EUR16

Pantheon - Free

St Peter's Dome Climb & Elevator - EUR8

Galleria Borghese - EUR15

Venezia Palace - EUR5

Meals Included

There are no meals included on this day.

Special Information

Check the Vatican website (vatican.va) for up-to-date information on when you can visit. Tickets for the Vatican Museum can be booked online at biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do. Alternatively, tickets for Galleria Borghese can be booked online at galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/einfo.htm. In order to avoid the crowds it is recommended to start the museum visit as doors open. Please note that pre-booked tickets are not required if you just want to visit St Peter's Basilica and its dome.

There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time. As there is so much to do and see in Rome you may want to consider to extend your stay here. We are happy to book additional accommodation for you, subject to availability. Please enquire at the time of booking.

Optional Activities

Meals Included

Breakfast

Special Information

If you haven't had enough of Italy yet why not join our connecting Rome to Amalfi trip, taking in the best of Southern Italy. Or, if you have some extra time in Rome, you can take one of the day trips offered by Urban Adventures. Check out urbanadventures.com for more information.

Inclusions

Meals

3 breakfasts,
1 lunch

Transport

Train,
Public bus,
Metro,
Cable car

Accommodation

Hotel (7 nights)

Included activities

Venice Traghetto Boat Ride

Guided Tour of Basilica di San Francesco Assisi

Enoteca Wine Tasting & Lunch in Spello

Gubbio Hike and Cable Car

Meals

3 breakfasts,
1 lunch

Transport

Train,
Public bus,
Metro,
Cable car

Accommodation

Hotel (7 nights)

Included activities

Venice Traghetto Boat Ride

Guided Tour of Basilica di San Francesco Assisi

Enoteca Wine Tasting & Lunch in Spello

Gubbio Hike and Cable Car

Dates & availability

Trip search is unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Umbrian Discovery trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

Next trip departures

Jump to a departure month

Important notes

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A single supplement is available on this trip.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Michael Everiss

Kyle Cummings

Travelling with Intrepid was a truly a great decision for me. Not only do they provide real value for money, they tailor your trip to the finest detail. Each day is filled with magical experiences and you find yourself immersed in the wonderful culture of the places you visit. The trip leaders are extremely knowledgeable and strive to ensure your trip is stress-free, fun-filled and surpasses your expectations of what travelling should be. Don't hesitate, you will not regret it!

Review submitted 07 Sep 2017

Umbrian Discovery trip reviews

Our Umbrian Discovery trips score an average of 4.71 out of 5
based on 24 reviews in the last year.